homeschool humble pie

Once upon a time I said something glib along the lines of : yes, I am going to homeschool my kids, but it isn't going to consume our lives and I will not be one of those homeschoolers who can only talk about homeschool curriculum.

Why do I have to be humbled and proven so wrong for those rash youthful statements?

Teaching is consuming my life.

All I can talk about are books, libraries and curricula.

I wake up, get one cup of coffee flowing through my bloodstream, make breakfast, direct chores, and morph our dining room into a classroom.

We sit at the table, do devotions, and then start the books up.

A Kleenex box is still part of the decor.

We study, minutes (for me) flying by until lunch. 

Extra stuff in the afternoons, be it laundry for the millions many overnight guests we've had lately, cooking, errands, extra classes or just finishing up what we didn't accomplish before lunch.  Sometimes we don't finish until four.  So much for the lofty ideas of accomplishing it all in three hours.

By evening, after supper, dishes, visists to Daniel,  phone calls that have been put on hold all day, I am fried.  My brain feels about as big as say, a pin.  Which reminds me of Pinterest, which is the real reason I haven't blogged, but. . .  anyway.  I literally fall into bed at night.

I only have two kids to teach.

One is in preschool (talk about pressure) and one is in first grade.

This is only going to get more complicated.  But still, I love it;  I love the light bulb moments;  I love pouring into their lives.

I don't like eye rolls, sighs, tears, grumbling, or this comment on the way to science class:  "Hey Mom, I don't want to make you feel bad, but when I go to real classes like my art classes, they explain things way better."

But other moments make it so worth it. 

Note to me this morning: 
FoR u!

I <3 u

Thank you FoR clening My room so Much <3!

<3

JD

Or Cambria's thrill over learning to tell time and write her middle name and read the words YAY and ZOO today.

It is an exhausting, beautiful privilege to be with them. 

It is easy to forget how much children need love and time from their parents. 

After being with the kids all day, I am ready for a break from them and they sure act like they want a break from me.  (That's what the pool and trampoline and bikes are for.) 

Today after school, errands, and choir, Cambria was helping me make granola bars.  Jacob came in and asked to help.  I told him there wasn't anything for him to do, and that the granola bars were mostly done.  I suggested told him to go jump on the trampoline.  He was back after two minutes, asking to help again.  I agreed to let him stir something and he climbed on a chair with a happy sigh. " Really, Mom, I just wanted to be with somebody." 

I look at his little boy face and realize the gift  I've been given;  he wanted to be with somebody.  The somebody is me.  It's my joy;  it's my job.

Thanks, God.

*The only thing perfect about the last few weeks of school are the pictures I took on the first day.  The kids are unbelievably cute.  But, true to the humbling nature of my life, those photos aren't on my SD card anymore for some odd reason.  Hopefully they are safely uploaded onto Daniel's laptop, but since he is at work:  picture-less post.